Dalai Lama to begin 3-day swing through the Bay Area on Saturday

By Bruce Newman bnewman@mercurynews.com

Posted:
02/20/2014 07:49:57 PM PST

Updated:
02/20/2014 07:51:10 PM PST

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet will make three scheduled speaking appearances in the Bay Area this weekend, culminating in an appearance Monday morning at Santa Clara University, where he will engage in a dialogue on the theme of "Compassion and Business." At his first appearance on Saturday, he will discuss "The Nature of Mind" at San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall. On Sunday, his presentation in Berkeley will center on "How To Achieve Happiness."

That latter state of bliss will be difficult to achieve for anyone who doesn't already have a ticket because all of the Dalai Lama's appearances in the area are already sold out.

As spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, the Dalai Lama has committed himself to the preservation of Tibetan Buddhist culture. That has put him at odds with the Communist leadership of the People's Republic of China, which has claimed authority to choose his successor. The Dalai Lama has said his reincarnation will not occur in a nation which is not free.

China's secular government has laid claim to approval rights in the naming of "high" reincarnations in Tibet, and they don't come any higher than the Dalai Lama. That split has often been the cause of protests at the Dalai Lama's appearances. For his talk at Santa Clara University, security precautions will be so tight that members of the audience are expected to arrive at Leavey Event Center by 8 a.m. for a program that begins at 10 a.m.